On March 29, 2011, a fire fighter-paramedic Chris Trokey saved Dr Shannon from his burning car, after an accident on Pacific Coast Highway in California.

This heart-warming story of a doctor being rescued is definitely out of the ordinary. Over thirty years after premature baby Chris Trokey was given a lease of new life, he had the golden opportunity to return the favour to the doctor who didn’t give up on him.

This amazing story hit the limelight on social media, after the Dr Shannon and Trokey reunited four years after the rescue from the accident. Both met at a fundraiser for the childhood cancer research charity St. Baldrick’s in Rancho Santa Margarita. A video of their meeting has apparently garnered over 20k ‘likes’ on social media. For the charity event, the duo shaved their heads bald, as a mark of solidarity for the cause:

How the miracle unfolded

Five years ago, Dr Shannon was driving down the Pacific Coast Highway in Dana Point when his car was hit by a truck. As a result, he was trapped inside the car, even as it burst into flames. Firefighters from Paramedic Engine 29 rushed to the rescue, successfully dousing the flames and evacuating Dr Shannon from the burning car. As fate would have it, Chris Trokey was part of the rescue team. However, it was only a month later that Trokey discovered whom he had saved. As he visited the recuperating accident victim in the hospital a month later, he realised who it was. Trokey said about how he felt when he first got to know, “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, Dr. Shannon?’’

On the other hand, Dr Shannon feels extremely grateful for Trokey’s effort in saving his life. He said, “’It’s amazing to watch them all grow up, but to have one come back in your life, on a day you really need it, that’s really incredible. I do believe that things are supposed to happen when they do. I see examples of this almost daily in my life and practice.’

For mystics, this is a perfect example of the Indian doctrine of Karma: a person’s actions decide his fate, or the idea of what goes around comes around.

For Dr Shannon, the goodness he sowed over three decades ago, has borne fruit in giving him a new chance at life.

Tanya represents Globalo in Goa, India. She completed her postgraduate degree from London School of Economics, and was awarded a university excellence scholarship for her academic achievement. As a journalist, she is passionate about social research, global politics and South Asia.

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